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Newry, Mourne and Down area groups are leading the way with climate action in the community and three local organisations have received funding National Lottery funding from the National Lottery Community Fund through Together for Our Planet, a National Lottery funding programme to help communities take climate action.
The Cabbage Patchers in Warrenpoint are among 30 projects receiving the funding. They are using a £10,000 grant to deliver food-related activities for all ages to promote the links between gardening, cooking and wellbeing. The project will educate and encourage the community to grow their own produce, adopt a more seasonal diet, not waste food and consider how personal choices can damage the planet and contribute to climate change.
Colette Ruddy, Secretary of The Cabbage Patchers said: “We are delighted to receive this funding. Our dream is to enable people to grow their own food or source it in a sustainable way, to take small local actions, think about their carbon footprint, and to have a ‘field to fork’ mentality.
“Our sustainable food project will be combined with our growing programme to bring local people together and to give them the tools, resources and information to improve their lives as a community working together for the planet.”
Another project in the area receiving funding for climate action is Camphill Community Mourne Grange outside Kilkeel. They are using a £9,230 grant to enable their residents, who are adults with learning disabilities, to showcase the benefits of sustainable food production and encourage the local community to get involved.
Metis Initiatives, which is working as part of the Dolmens Climate Action Group, is using a £10,000 grant to run a series of events for people in the Castlewellan area to develop action plans around climate change and the biodiversity crisis.
Paul Sweeney, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Northern Ireland Chair, said: “Climate change is under the world’s spotlight and people are seriously concerned about issues such as increased energy costs. So, it is encouraging to see people taking action locally across Northern Ireland. We know communities have a big role to play – even small steps can make a big difference.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, we are able to support local climate action, funding innovative projects that are part of the drive towards net zero and that enables people and communities to thrive.”
The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded £5 million in small grants from the Together for Our Planet programme, to support hundreds of communities across the UK to create a legacy of community-led climate action. Since 2016, we have awarded £397 million through more than 6,000 grants which involve environmental action, including action on waste and consumption, energy, transport, food and the natural environment.
Over £230,000 has been awarded to groups in Northern Ireland who are helping people grow their own produce, reduce waste, learn about repairing and upcycling and improving their local area.
For more information on applying for funding in your area from The National Lottery Community Fund visit https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/northern-ireland
